Michiana Birth

Monday, February 2, 2015

That moment. Once the baby is born. You forget all the strength you were exerting, all the power it took, the energy you released. Forgotten (for a moment) in the blink of an eye as you embraced your baby with your eyes and thought,

The Milky Way, a feature-length documentary about breastfeeding in the
USA, shows how women can reclaim their birthright and restore the nursing
mother archetype. A film by, for, and about women, it is about the
knowledge that inherently resides in every woman and how to trust that
knowledge.

February 3rd, 7PMFirst Tuesdays of the Month every month. at Lansers The Natural Way on W.Edison in South Bend Intended for pregnant couples looking for basic information on breastfeeding. Partners are encouraged to attend too.

Monday, January 19, 2015

I am Kelly Howland,
the woman behind Michiana Postpartum Doula Care and Ollie & Jai
Designs. I am one of the newest persons to join the birth professionals
community, and I serve as both a postpartum doula and a keepsake jewelry
artist where I specialize in making breast milk and placenta memorial
jewelry.Before deciding to work as a birth professional, I
studied sociology in college and became a social worker. I spent time
working with children and families and this was my first exposure to
postpartum care from the perspective of mental health. It immediately
became my primary interest as a social worker.

I then became
pregnant with my own child and did not have the birth experience I was
looking for. My postpartum time frame was extremely rough as I
experienced problems breastfeeding, a difficult transition into
motherhood, processing birth trauma, and PPD. But what truly helped ease
my transition into motherhood was the community of support I had around
me from fellow mothers and a postpartum doula who came to my home and
assisted me through the tender, emotional initial days of new
motherhood. I don't know what I would have done without that support
because it is what carried me through a transition that was not at all
what I'd expected the start of motherhood to be.

I continued my
career as a social worker, but my passion for focusing on postpartum
women grew to the point where it could not be ignored. I then became
pregnant with my second child and anticipating my own second postpartum
period drove me to the realization that I am called to be within the
birth community, supporting and encouraging mothers in the way I'd
learned was so critical and valuable for moms. I took the plunge and
left my position in social services and have started to study for formal
certification as a postpartum doula through Birth Arts International. I
created the nameMichiana Postpartum Doula Care where I am now
beginning to serve families in the Michiana area through a variety of
postpartum services.In addition to being a postpartum doula, I
also am behind Ollie & Jai Designs. Breastfeeding both my children
was full of difficulty and emotional struggle as I battled a diagnosed
low supply issue. Working to nurse my second son was one of the biggest
challenges for me and I wanted to commemorate that journey for however
long it may last. This led me to begin experimenting with breast milk
and placenta keepsake jewelry. I can now create memorial keepsake
jewelry pieces out of a woman's own breast milk or dehydrated placenta
powder. I named my jewelry line Ollie & Jai, the nicknames of my
children, after the birth and breastfeeding experiences I had with each
of them. While I love the art of jewelry making, my favorite thing about
creating the jewelry is getting to help mothers preserve a piece of
their own special, sacred journeys that they've experienced as well.

As
a newer postpartum doula in the Michiana community, I am excited to see
where my passions will take me. I consider it an honor that a family
would choose me to walk with them and support them through such a
personal, tender time in their family's transition. I can think of few
things are rewarding as being given that gift as not only a doula, but a
fellow mother within our community.

"Babywearing Dance Class is designed for parent to engage in gentle stretching and strengthening in a supportive environment, while enjoying movement, music, and their babies. Warm-up at the barre and in the center, move across the space, and stretch on the floor. This class is for all levels, no dance experience is required. Expectnant mamas and siblings are also welcome!"

About Me

My name is Deborah Allen and I am a local doula. I started this blog a few years ago because I wish there was one like it when I was pregnant with my first. Our area is rich when it comes to the birth world and offers a variety of services, products, and opportunities!